The Dragon King
by kawaiidragonfoe821
Summary: I was flipping btw the movies The Lion King & Dragonheart the other day & I got an idea to do a story combining the two, this is the result.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I OWN nothing & CLAIM nothing!**

_Summery: I was flipping btw the movies The Lion King & Dragonheart the other day & I got an idea to do a story combining the two, this is the result. This story (among others) has been sitting in the hard drive of my other computer for some time, I just now got around to transfering them._

Aurum the golden dragon, the magnificent & majestic ruler of the West stood on the ledge just outside of his cave, overlooking his vast domain; the lesser animals, from the smallest mouse to the mighty mammoth stood, waiting. A hush came over them as a white, luminescent figure descended from the heavens to land gracefully in front of Aurum. "Argos, great white ruler of the four winds I' am very honored that you could be here." He said as they hugged. "My dear boy, I would not miss it for the world, the other rulers were doubtful that you ever would take your responsibilities seriously." He said with a tooth-ridden smile as Aurum led him to the mouth of the cave. "So this is the young one." Argos said as he gently picked up the newly hatched dragon chick, he gently cradled the tiny body in his massive front talon & held him up for all to see. The animals below erupted into cheers that could be heard for miles.

A small mouse cautiously exits its hole into the bright sunlight, after smelling the air momentarily, suddenly, a huge, gangly talon scoops him up before he has a chance to react. "Life is not fair for either of us, little mouse. You see, I shall never be ruler of this land, while you shall never see the light of another day." The dragon the talon belonged to said, suddenly a loud, screeching noise made him start & drop his mouse. A small, rainbow-patterned dragon about the size of a parrot with feathered wings landed in front of the first, proportionately huge dragon. "Look what you've done, Ronan, you've caused me to lose my lunch." The dragon said expressionlessly as he rested his head on his crossed front legs. "You are going to lose more then your lunch, Antigonos. His Majesty is on his way to find out why you missed the induction ceremony today." Ronan said triumphantly. "I' am quivering with _fear_!" He said, a sinister smile spreading across his long, gaunt face, Ronan tried to fly away, but Antigonos snatched him up in his jaws. Suddenly, a deep, rustic voice rang out around the cave. "Antigonos! Drop him!" Antigonos begrudgingly spit Ronan back out. "I wasn't going to _swallow_ him, his kind are too sweet for my tastes." He said. Antigonos was nothing like his older brother, Aurum, who was strong, handsome & honorable. Antigonos was homely, gaunt & immoral, even his grey, mottled hide reflected his personality. "Aquila & I didn't see you at the induction of Aeolus this morning." He said with forced patience. "It must have slipped my mind." Antigonos said as he turned to take flight. "Do not turn your back to me!" "It is you that should not turn your back on _me_." Antigonos replied stiffly as he spread his ragged wings & took flight.

A few months later, Aurum & Aquila's peaceful slumber was interrupted by an incessant calling of their names. "You're son is awake." Aquila said without opening her eyes. "Before the sun wakes, he is _your_ son." Aurum replied sleepily as Aeolus began to jump all over him in an effort to rouse him. "Father, you promised!" He said angrily. "All right, all right." Aurum said as he slowly rose to his feet, scooped his son into his massive talon & took flight to the top of their mountain. "Everywhere the sun reaches is our kingdom, one day my time as ruler will be over & it will be up to you to maintain this land & all of the creatures that inhabit it." Aurum said as Aeolus scanned the horizon. "What about that dark place?" He asked. "That is a miserable & forbidden place, you must never go there." He said seriously. " Uncle Antigonos, father just showed me the entire kingdom, the one I will one day rule!" Aeolus said excitedly, Antigonos said nothing as he rolled his eyes. "He didn't show you what was valley of the southern border?" Antigonos said. "He said that I should never venture there." Aeolus said disappointedly. He is right, a mammoth graveyard is no place for a young prince… oh dear, I believe that I have now said too much! Please, don't ever go there!" "I won't." Aeolus said as he scampered off, Antigonos smiled sinisterly after him, knowing that he would do just the opposite. "Come on, I just heard about this really neat place!" Aeolus said as he met his friend, Callistus from the neighboring dragon clan. "It's around the…" "Around the what?" His mother's voice interrupted him. "Er… around Crystal Lake." He said when a wide, benign smile. "You may go… as long as Ronan goes with you."

"Step lightly, the sooner we get to the lake, the sooner we can turn around." Ronan said as he flew above them. "So, where are we _really_ going?" Callistus whispered to Aeolus as the lake appeared over the last hill. "The mammoth graveyard, but first we have to ditch the featherbrain." He said as he gestured above him. "No problem, I have an idea." Callistus said as she sucked in a deep breath & with a vast amount of concentration, blew a week beam of ice at Ronan, it was enough to make him too heavy to fly & he had no choice but to crash-land on the lake's muddy banks. "That was almost too easy!" Aeolus said as he & Callistus began to run down the hill on the south end of the lake, they lost their fooding & tumbled, head over tail to the bottom. Aeolus looked up to find the massive skull of a mammoth looming in front of them. "A-Aeolus, I think that I want to go now." Callistus said as they began backing away. "We were hoping you would join us for dinner." A thick gravely voice said from behind them as three griffins surrounded them. "My name is Artemis; the stupid one is Chaos & the female is Charon. What's you're name?" The largest griffin said. "W-why do you want to know?" Aeolus said as they backed him & Callistus into a corner. "Because, we like to know the name of our dinner." Charon said, Aeolus stepped in front of Callistus & attempted to breathe fire, but all that would come out was a puff of smoke. "Is that all you've got?" Artemis said as they all laughed, Aeolus attempted to try again but a thick stream of blue flame cut between them & Aurum was on top of the three griffins in a second. "If you ever come near my son again…!" He said in a rage. "Oh never... you'll never have to worry about us!" Artemis said as the three of them split. "Thank you, father, I thought we were goners &…" Aeolus trailed off when he saw the fire leaking form his father's nostrils as they turned for home.

"Ronan!" Aurum called sharply. "Yes, your majesty?" he said hesitantly. "Please see Callistus home, I must speak to my _son_ alone." "For what it's worth, I thought you were very brave." Callistus said as Ronan led her away. Aeolus cautiously approached his father. "What were you trying to prove, Aeolus? You could have been killed today & you didn't even think about putting Callistus in danger, did you? He said sharply. "I was just trying to be brave… like you!" Aeolus said, he was on the verge of tears. "Brave doesn't mean that you go searching for trouble, always remember that." Aurum said as they started home. "You don't even deserve this." Antigonos said as he tossed the leg of an elk down to the three griffins. "I practically gift-wrapped those young dragons for you & you couldn't even dispose of _them_." "Hey! Aurum showed up! What were we suppose to do, kill _him_?" Charon said, Antigonos' face drew up into a terrifying smile. "Get your clan together, I have a plan."

"What's such a big surprise that I have to wait down here in the ravine?" Aeolus said to his uncle. "It's more of a father-son thing. Now, you just wait here by this tree while I fetch him. Just between us, you might want to work on that fire breathing." Antigonos said in parting. On the grass plain above the ravine, a large herd of elk grazed lazily in the warm spring sun. "Let's go." She said as Antigonos appeared on the opposite side of the ravine. Aeolus was finally able to produce a small puff of yellow flame; suddenly, the ground began to shake quite violently, he looked to the north & his heart came to reside in his throat, thousands of elk were pouring down the path to the bottom of the ravine. Aeolus only had time to clamor into shrubby tree in the middle of the ravine. Suddenly, his father appeared, hovering at his side, without a word he scooped him up & delivered him to safety on a small ledge. Suddenly, one of the panicked elk leapt into the air & caught Aurum in the wing. "Father!" Aeolus cried as he disappeared with a roar into the mass of bodies, after what seemed like an eternity, Aurum launched himself out of the stampede almost made it onto the ledge where his brother stood, watching. "Please brother, help me!" He said, Antigonos suddenly lunged forward & grabbed his front legs, his talons digging in painfully. "Long live his majesty." He said coldly as let go. "Father!" Aeolus cried as he clamored down to the bottom of the ravine as soon as the way was clear, a lump rose in his throat as he saw his father lying unmoving under the tree he had plucked him from. "Father, get up, we have to go home." He said tearfully. "Aeolus, what have you done?!" His uncle's quiet voice said from behind him. "It was an accident! The elk…!" "Of course you didn't _mean it_, but what will your mother think!" "What… what am I going to do?" Aeolus said as he sniffled pitifully. "You must run, Aeolus, run away & never return." Antigonos said.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I OWN nothing & CLAIM nothing! **

Many miles away, two figures look out from the cover of their temperate forest home; something was lying motionless in the grassy clearing. "What is it?" A small gecko said to his companion, a giant anteater. "Geeze, it's a dragon!" The gecko cried as he jumped back. "He's only a little guy, I want to help him." The anteater said as he hoisted Aeolus' small, frail body onto his back. "Aesop, this is a _dragon_, they eat guys like us!" The gecko said as he scurried behind his large, lumbering friend. "He's young, Velius, I bet we can train him not to." Aesop replied as he gently laid him down by the edge of a river & splashed the young dragon's face with the cold, mountain water. Little Aeolus slowly came to & strained to focus his vision. "We found you passed out in the meadow, you almost died." Aesop said. "Then why didn't you let me alone? I can't go back home, I have no where to belong anymore." Aeolus said as he slowly got to his feet & began to leave once more. "So, you're an outcast, So are we. Aesop was kicked out of his home village because he preferred fruits & berries to ants & termites. I was shunned because I'm green instead of brown." Velius said.

Three years went by like seconds & Aeolus had grown from a gangly youngster to a robust & handsome young adult with his father's brilliant golden coloring & his mother's stunning crystal blue eyes. Dragons were omnivorous, eating everything from some plants, berries, & fruits to small animals, but when possible, large prey is preferred. Since Aeolus' arrival, Velius & Aesop no longer had problems with predators stalking them. Later that day, Aeolus was foraging in the meadow when Aesop & Velius came tearing up to him. "Aeolus… a dragon… is approaching the woods!" Velius said as he clutched the stitch in his chest. "I'm on it." Aeolus said as he took flight. He landed in front of the trespasser, blocking her way & let out an earth-shaking roar as he reared on his hind legs. "See, I told you he's come in handy." Aesop said as the dragons battled, Aeolus was shocked when the female pinned him to the ground & prepared to strike with an ice beam. "Callistus, is that you?" Upon hearing her name, Callistus backed off. " Callistus It's me, Aeolus."

"Aesop, Velius, this is my old friend, Callistus." "Pleased to meet you." Aesop said as he bowed. "Likewise, I'm sorry about trespassing; I was looking for food & came upon this place." Callistus said as she turned to Aeolus. "I heard from your mother that you & your father were killed in the stampede." She said as Velius & Aesop left them to catch up. "What exactly did Antigonos tell the clan?" Aeolus said hesitantly. "Just what I told you, why, is there more to it?" Aeolus shook his head as they walked together. "You're alive & that means that you're the rightful heir!" She said suddenly. "I'm not going back… ever." Aeolus said quickly as he made himself comfortable on a huge, fallen redwood. "You have to go back! Antigonos has let the griffins overtake the sacred lands, if you don't do something all the clans will starve!" She said. "That's not by problem any more, sometimes terrible things happen & there's nothing you can do about them, so why worry?" Aeolus said calmly. "Because it's your responsibility, & your duty!" "Now you're starting to sound like my father." Aeolus said coolly. "At least _someone_ in this conversation does." She retorted, with a threatening growl, he turned on her. "Look, you just can't show up here & tell me how to live my life! You don't even understand what I've been through!" He said, his eyes were glowing & blue flame leaked out of his mouth as he talked, she knew better then to push him any further.

Aeolus landed in the meadow, still fuming. "What would going back prove anyway? I can't change the past!" "No, but you can learn from it." A deep, quiet, voice said as a large, aged white dragon landed beside him. "You may not remember me; I christened you at your birth." "I don't remember you, but I know who you are." Aeolus said. "I know who you are as well, you're Aurum's boy." "You knew my father?" "I _know_ your father, yes." Argos replied. "I hate to be the one to tell you this, but he died a long time ago." Aeolus said as he bowed his head. "He is alive, & I can prove it to you." Argos said as he led Aeolus to a small pool created by a recent rain. "Look hard." He said, Aeolus was shocked to see the proud image of his father replace his reflection. "He's always lived in _you_; but you have forgotten who you are & so you've forgotten him. You must look deep within yourself & take your place." Argos said. "But… going back would mean facing a past that I have been running from for so long." Aeolus said, Argos promptly cold-cocked him straight between the horns with his tail. "Geeze! What in the hell did you do that for?!" Aeolus said. "It doesn't matter; it's now in the past, that's your way of thinking, is it not? But, like I said, you can either run from it or… learn from it." He said as Aeolus dodged another swing of his tail. "So, now what are you going to do?" "The right thing." Aeolus replied as he took flight.

"Aquila!" Antigonos yelled into the ranks of dragons, Aquila carried herself with pride past the griffins as they snapped at her heels, trying to intimidate her. "Why hasnt your hunting party returned yet?" "Antigonos there is no more food in the western region, all the herds we well as the other cragon clans have moved on, & so should we." "We're not going anywhere!" Antigonos replied heatedly. "Then you are sentencing us to death... you can't do that!" Aquila replied. "I' am the grand ruler; I can do whatever I want!" Antigonos replied. "If you were _half_ the leader Aurum was…!" "I'm ten times the ruler Aurum was!!" Antigonos roared as he back-handed Aquila with all of his strength, a mighty roar was heard as a magnificent dragon descended from the sky & gently helped Aquila to her feet. Antigonos backed away in fear. "Aurum? Is it really you?" "No, mother, it's me, Aeolus." A series of hushed whispers spread around the dragon clan. "Now, give me one good reason why I shouldn't rip you apart, Antigonos." Aeolus said as he advanced on his uncle. "Come now, Nephew, I was just _standing in_ as ruler, no one knew what happened to you &…" "Then it's time for you to step down, Aeolus is the rightful heir." Callistus said as she appeared with Aesop & Velius on her back. "It's your choice, Antigonos, step down, or fight." "Must there always be violence? I would hate to have the blood of a family member on my hands." Antigonos said with a sinister smile. "That isn't going to work anymore, Antigonos, I've put it behind me." "What about your loyal subjects? I think that it's high time they know who is responsible for Aurum's death." He replied. "I' am." Aeolus said as he bowed his head in shame.

A collective gasp issued from the clan, Antigonos took the opportunity to leap onto Aeolus & pin him to the ground on the edge of the ledge overlooking the once lush & prosperous kingdom. Fear creeped into Aeolus' crystal blue eyes as Antigonos' claws tightened around his throat. "Ah, thats the expression your father was wearing before he died. before you join him I want you to know that I killed him." In the blink of an eye, Aeolus had Antigonos pinned on the ground & his talons threatened to squeeze the life out of his uncle. "You… you wouldn't kill you're uncle, would you?" Antigonos said in a small voice. "No, but before I banish you, I want the clan to know the truth." There was a long pause before Antigonos spoke up. "I 'am... but it was the griffins' idea in the beginning." Antigonos said. " If you ever return to this land, I will kill you." As Antigonos slinked behind Aeolus. Suddenly, Antigonos turned & lunged at him, Aeolus met him with a vicious whip of his tail that sent him falling to the bottom of the mountain. "Ah, my friends." He said in relief as the hoard of griffins, fifty strong or more surrounded him. "_Friends??? _I thought he said that we were the enemy?" Charon said to her companions, Artemis & Chaos. "Yeah… that's what _I_ heard." Artemis said, Antigonos' screams echoed around the mountains as they closed in on him.

Some years later, Argos, ruler of the North slowly made his way to the end of the ledge, he held up a newly hatched dragon chick to the cheers & roars of the animals below as proud parents Aeolus & Callistus looked on from behind.

fin


End file.
